Ariel Machado


Ariel Machado, is a Brazilian kickboxer and mixed martial artist. He is the K-1 World Grand Prix 2024 Final Champion, and the reigning K-1 World Heavyweight Champion.
Combat Press ranked him as a top ten light heavyweight kickboxer in the world between November 2021 and June 2022, with Machado peaking at #7.

Kickboxing career

Machado participated in the WGP Kickboxing 26 tournament, facing Junior Alpha in the semifinals. Machado lost the fight by decision. In his next appearance with WGP Kickboxing, he faced Maycon Silva. Machado won the fight by decision.
He took part in the 2016 Glory Light Heavyweight tournament. In the semifinals, he defeated Pavel Zhuravlev by a unanimous decision. He lost the final bout to Zinedine Hameur-Lain by a second round KO.
Machado next fought in the 2016 Glory Middleweight Contender tournament. He lost the very first bout to Yousri Belgaroui by decision.
Machado was scheduled to fight in the 2017 Glory Light Heavyweight Contender tournament. He won a unanimous decision against Danyo Ilunga in the semi-finals. In the tournament final, he fought a rematch with Zinedine Hameur-Lain, and won by TKO in the first round.
Briefly fighting outside of Glory, Machado was scheduled to face Lucas Alsina during WGP Kickboxing 38. Machado won the bout in the third round, knocking Alsina out with a flying knee.
He fought for the Glory Light Heavyweight title during Glory 47: Lyon, held at the time by Artem Vakhitov. Vakhitov successfully defended the title, winning by unanimous decision.
His next two fights were outside of Glory, which he won by a split decision against Haime Morais during WGP KB 47, and by KO against Marcelo Nuñez during WGP KB 57.
Machado was scheduled to fight Michael Duut during Glory Collision 2. Machado won by unanimous decision.
Machado took part in the K-1 World Grand Prix 2024 Final on December 14, 2024. In the quarterfinals he knocked out Rhys Brudenell in the first round with a hook. In the semifinals he stopped Errol Zimmerman by second round technical knckout with low kicks. In the final he knocked out Feng Rui with a left hook 2 minutes and 55 seconds into the first round.
Machado faced Rio Richardson at K-1 Dontaku on July 13, 2025. He won the fight by a first-round technical knockout.

Doping suspension

On April 20, 2019, it was announced that Machado failed a drug test prior to Glory 47: Lyon in 2017. He was suspended for 20 months following a positive test for banned substances at the event, where he challenged reigning champion Artem Vakhitov.

Titles and accomplishments

Awards
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Mixed martial arts record